The invention relates to an overvoltage arrester for an electrical drive, especially a drive for a motor vehicle. The overvoltage arrester is designed to be connected to an on-board power supply system of a motor vehicle. The overvoltage arrester is designed to reduce any overvoltage produced in the on-board power supply system when a load is switched off.
A problem was recognized with overvoltage arresters in motor vehicles that are known from the prior art that said arresters, for example formed from semiconductor components, can themselves be destroyed by an overvoltage occurring in the on-board power supply system. Consumers which are connected to the on-board power supply system and are susceptible to an overload are then destroyed along with the overvoltage arrester.